5 ideas to ease your cubital tunnel pain

Do you ever get that ‘pinky has fallen asleep’ feeling in your hands?? If so, make sure you read last week’s newsletter (you can also find it here) to help you understand where this is coming from.

Today we are breaking down 5 ideas to help ease your cubital tunnel pain.

Let’s dive right in!
 

1. Avoid leaning on your flared up elbow

Every time you put pressure on your cubital tunnel (that ‘funny bone’ spot in your elbow), it is putting pressure on your ulnar nerve (the nerve that’s causing all these problems in the first place)!

It makes it more difficult for the inflammation surrounding this nerve to calm down when it continues to get impinged.

So seriously, try and become way more mindful of when you’re leaning on your elbows and adjust your position!

2. If you are STILL leaning on your elbows…consider getting an elbow pad

Sometimes it’s easier said than done…so if you find yourself continuing to put pressure on your elbows and lean, lean, lean despite your best efforts, get an elbow pad that can cushion your cubital tunnel and take the pressure off.

Something like this can protect your ulnar nerve and inflamed cubital tunnel even if you do lean on it. This is great for daytime use, especially if you’re an office worker who is always propping yourself with your elbows!

You can also consider an elbow compression sleeve, as this can help with decreasing inflammation and pain…but just know that if it doesn’t have the gel pad on your elbow, then it won’t protect your cubital tunnel when you lean on your elbow.

3. Try to sleep with straight elbows

This is another ‘easier said than done’ thing…so if despite your best efforts, you continue to curl up into a ball of elbows at night, you can try this:

• Before you go to bed, fold a bath towel in half, then in half again, and wrap it around your straight elbow. Secure with an ace wrap bandage (or a VERY large scrunchie). This towel wrap can encourage your elbow to stay straight!

• If you don’t like the towel wrap idea, look into an elbow brace for nighttime use. They make ones that are bendable so you can still maintain a slight comfy elbow bend, but it protects you from full elbow flexion and thus protects your cubital tunnel.

4. Try out ulnar nerve glides

Think of your ulnar nerve like a piece of floss, and the inflammation surrounding your ulnar nerve like the gunk in between your teeth. You need to ‘floss’ your nerve so it stops getting caught up in the ‘gunk’ of your cubital tunnel!

Here is an example of an ulnar nerve glide.

5. If you’re an office worker, check your ergonomics

Specifically, the biggest mistake I see people make with their office setup is their keyboard and mouse are waaaayyy too high.

Your keyboard and mouse need to rest at about waist level, to allow your elbows a nice wide open angle. We are aiming for 90 degrees or greater!

In order to achieve this, you probably need a keyboard tray. 

So, there you have it! 5 ideas for decreasing your cubital tunnel symptoms.

Which of these did you find most helpful?  Comment below and let me know if it’s Tip 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.